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Apple introduced the iPod Nano in early September this year (“05). Since then there have been many complain and reports of the iPod’s screen scratching easily and even snapping in some incidents. To prevent this from occurring it is best to protect you Nano by purchasing some type of a case. I recently found the Agent 18 iPod Nano Shield and it proved to be a great case. The case is a semi-transparent hard case that will surround pretty much the entire iPod. The case has openings on the bottom to allow using both connectors and on the top to allow using the hold switch. The case is sleek enough so that it can be placed into the iPod Dock while it is still in the case. The case does not look that great while it is on the Black Nano because it is not completely transparent (creates a grayish color), but should look better on the white Nano. The only other problem I noticed with this was the fact that there are two small vertical lines on the case that go over both sides of the screen. This doesn’t affect me too much, but may irritate others. But overall this is a pretty good case and is worth buying. The case will cost $20, but unfortunately is only available on the online Apple Store as well as Agent18’s website.
Important: For people who have purchased this case or are planning on purchasing it please read the correct directions of how to place the iPod Nano into the case. If you try to slide it in through the bottom it could easily get scratched. – Offical Instructions Here
Link: Apple Store | Agent18.com (more images on both sites)
Related: Apple iPod Nano | More Nano Cases
Recent Posts: Free iPod Nanos | PSP Media Manager
Update 1: Agent 18 Nano Shield Rev.B Released
Update (11/12/06): Agent 18 Nano Shock Shield For 2nd Gen iPod Nano
great review. i just got it and its a good case. just make sure you put the ipod into the case the right way.
Thanks for the review. The high-res pictures were most welcome. Cheers.
Here is information about the iPod Video Shield:
http://www.skattertech.com/2005/12/agent-18-shield-for-ipod-video/
Does anybody know if this protects the screen as well? I know I can just use my pocket PC screen protectors and just cut them, but I was wondering if there was a way around it. EMail me at
texaslolamy @gmail.com
Thank you and Merry Christmas!!
“amy”, the only reason anyone wants to buy this case is because it protects the screen. look at the imgs. anyways neat case, i just got it abt a wk ago and now there seems to be a bunch of other cases that look exactly the same i hope this was worth the price.
does any 1 know if you shake the shield will the nano move about and slide about inside?
nick, the iPod does not move at all while it is in the case. the case is a tight fit so once you snap the top and bottom pieces together (with Nano inside) and slide on the bottom portion onto it, its locked in. If you really try to push it, which I don’t recommend, from the top or bottom openings you might be able to budge it a little but pretty much no movement.
Can you see laser engraving on the back of your ipod with this case? I am interested in this case and my nano has laser engraving on the back and I would like to be able to read it.
yes, you can still see the lazer engraving on the nano. it is obviously not going to be 100% clear like the apple logo and the “agent18.com” text, but it is still see able through the case.
Hi, thanks for recommending this case on your blog. I just got it from my nano. Combined with a skin that I put on mine, this case works great!
Has anyone bought or seen the supposed “version 2” of this case? apparently it now only has 2 pieces instead of 3, the 2 lines on the screen are no longer there,and they decreased the width (top/bottom) of the case so that there is now no movement or give after the case is snapped shut. This now prevents any possibility of the Nano scratching itself within the case in the event of a sudden jarring movement. i read this as a review dated on the 30th of dec on the apple website but when i checked the Agent18 website there doesn’t seem to be any indication that there is a version 2. Can anyone confirm or dispell this?? thanx
davo, you might be getting confused with the nano and the video ipod cases. the ipod nano case, which i just bought, has three peices. one on the bottom, top and the back. but my friend has a ipod video case from the same people and his has only 2 pieces. a top and back and they snap shut. i have never heard of a new release of a case
There is a “version 2” of the Agent 18 case for the ipod nano. I bought the agent 18 case at the apple store when I bought my nano in early January because I had researched cases and felt that this case was what I was looking for. I realized right away that it only had 2 pieces and wasn’t what other people described but I think that this new design is great. There are no lines over the screen, and there is no way that anyone would even think to slide the nano in or out through the bottom. The nano doesn’t budge and it’s still tiny. I definitely recommend it. The Agent 18 website however has not made any indication that there is a new design.
I also bought one of these nano cases (version 2) and was suprised when I got it to see that the lines on the screen were gone and it is only two peices not three.also, just to be clear it wont fit in the nano dock only in the universal dock and it comes with the dock adapter for a perfect fit.overall its a great case.
I ordered this case from the Apple site along with my nano. I’m very excited. I have done a great deal of research on these cases (and others like it) and I’m sure that this one is the best. There are two versions, but if you look at the reviews on the Apple site, one person (possibly more) received the older version after the new version came out. I personally hope that I receive the updated version. Looks much better in the pictures. A lot of the soft(ish) cases out there lack screen protection. I was hoping that I would be able to double case with the Agent 18 to get complete protection with portability but since I don’t have the case yet, I don’t know how that will work out. Has anybody else tried this with this case?
I was wondering how you could get the v2 of this case cause a review on the Apple website says that theyre still selling the 3-piece case. Do you always get the 2-piece one or is there a way you could specifically order it from Apple? And where else can you buy it?
Warning..the 3-piece Agent 18 case left some scratch marks below the click-wheel. That small bottom piece is the culprit and I think that might be one of the reasons they went to a two-piece design.
i was wondering if you could use any type of headphones with this case not just the ipod ones??
It looks great. I bought one today.
does anybody know where i could buy the version 2 of the shield?
does the black nano look that bad with this case? I also read that the nano gets scratches were the click wheel hole is. is that true?
headphones -> anything will work, the case doesn’t effect the iPod
where to get version 2 -> i reccomend getting it from a local apple store
case w/ black nano -> thats what i have and i think it looks just fine
scratches in hole -> there is no protection, therefore i left the original plastic layer on the ipod to cover the touch-click wheel
i have a couple questions; if i order a nano from the apple website and the agent 18 will i get version 2? which color for the nano is better with the case regarding the look of the nano? answers would be helpful, thanks.